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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. key — for a lock
  4. wax — to grow
  5. key — in music
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wake — a trail
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. stand — to bear
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. dip — to sink
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. plane — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com